Flames left winger Matthew Tkachuk battles the Colorado Avalanche's Tyson Barrie for the puck during a playoff game in Calgary on April 11, 2019. The 70-point producer has yet to sign for the coming season.

Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters

The absence of Matthew Tkachuk and the presence of former Edmonton Oilers is creating buzz at Calgary Flames training camp.

Tkachuk is among a number of restricted free agents yet to sign with their respective NHL teams.

A 30-goal, 70-point producer at just 21 years of age, Tkachuk is a key cog in the fortunes of the Flames, who finished atop the Western Conference last season with 50 wins.

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“He’s a unique player, he’s a real good player,” general manager Brad Treliving said Thursday when the Flames underwent physical testing.

“We love the player and the kid. He’ll be here when it gets done and hopefully it’s done soon.

“Once camp starts, you hate missing days. It’s days you don’t get back in terms of the preparation. All we worry about is getting a deal done.”

Calgary opens the regular season Oct. 3 against the Colorado Avalanche, who upset the Flames in five games in the first round of the playoffs.

Any exchange of staff involving the NHL’s Battle of Alberta is intriguing to hockey fans in the province.

Cam Talbot and Mike Smith signing with Calgary and Edmonton respectively on the first day of unrestricted free agency July 1 was essentially a goalie swap between the rival cities.

Talbot had a brief stop in Philadelphia as a rental player to conclude last season, but the 32 year old from Caledonia, Ont., spent the majority of the past four years with Calgary’s northern neighbour.

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Most Canadian NHL teams started training camp Thursday with medicals and physical testing. Several teams have important players who remain unsigned. Friday marks the first on-ice day.The Canadian Press

Talbot is expected to push David Rittich for starts in the Flames’ net.

Burly forward Milan Lucic is now a Flame after a July deal that sent James Neal to the Oilers.

Both are contract-heavy forwards trying to recover their peak form after disappointing campaigns.

A Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins in 2011, Lucic mustered six goals and 14 assists and was minus-9 in 79 games last season.

“Even if I had a good year last year, you always have something to prove and want to get better,” said the 31-year-old from Vancouver.

“After having a subpar last year and a half, ever since I would say Christmas of 2017, I’ve been in a slump that I haven’t been able to get out of.

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“I think I’ve got a lot to prove and sometimes a fresh start is what gets guys going again.”

Calgary’s top line of Johnny Gaudreau (99 points), Sean Monahan (82) and Elias Lindholm (78), as well as captain and Norris Trophy winner Mark Giordano (78) are capable of making the Flames one of the highest-scoring teams in the league again.

“It’s not an easy thing to finish first in the conference,” Giordano said. “We’ve got to take the positives out of last year too and not just the way it ended, the negative.”

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